Order Swordmaster (3.5e Alternate Class Feature)
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Order Swordmaster
A peerless master of the way of the blade, the order swordmaster is a cavalier that eschews mounted combat to focus on her swordsmanship. While many of them are great champions or their order, they are also commonly seen as teachers, working either alone or as part of their order to train the next generation of swordsmen.
Class: Cavalier
Level: 1st-20th
Replaces: Weapon & Armor Proficiency, Mount, Cavalier’s Charge, Expert Trainer, Banner, Mighty Charge, Greater Banner, Supreme Charge
Benefit: A order swordmaster gains the following class features:
Class Skill: A order swordmaster adds acrobatics to her list of cavalier class skill.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency:Order swordmasters are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, the bastard sword, light and medium armor, and bucklers.
This replaces the cavalier’s weapon and armor proficiencies.
Sword Student (Ex): A 1st level order swordmaster gain Weapon Focus as a bonus feat, she must choose a weapon from the light blade or heavy blade weapon group. An order swordmaster's class level counts as fighter level for the purpose of meeting the prerequisites for feats. If the order swordmaster has the Weapon Finesse feat she may use it with any weapon with any weapons from the light blade or heavy blade weapon groups she has Weapon Focus.
This ability replaces mount.
Nimble (Ex): At 3rd level, an order swordmaster gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC when wearing light or no armor and carrying no more than a light load. Anything that causes the order swordmaster to lose her Dexterity bonus to AC also causes her to lose this dodge bonus. This bonus increases by 1 for every 4 levels beyond 3rd (to a maximum of +5 at 19th level).
This ability replaces cavalier’s charge.
Swordmaster's Stance (Ex): A 4th level order swordmaster is able to assume various stances while wielding a weapon from the light blade or heavy blade. She can assume a stance as a swift action, gaining the benefits of one of the swordmaster's stances she knows. The order swordmaster can maintain her stance for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + her Charisma modifier, which does not need to be used consecutively. At each level beyond 4th, she can remain in the stance for 1 additional round. The order swordmaster may freely change between stance as a swift action. The order swordmaster may drop out of her stance as a free action, after ending a stance the order swordmaster is uncentered and cannot enter a new stance until the end of her next turn.
A order swordmaster knows two stances from the list below at 4th level, and one additional stance at 8th level and each 4 levels thereafter.
- Arcing Sweep Stance (Ex): The swordmaster’s blade rises and falls with the graceful sweeping arcs above her head. While maintaining this stance, the order swordmaster either gain a +1 shield bonus to AC if she is wielding a two-handed sword (which stacks with Overbear), or a +2 dodge bonus to AC if she is wielding a one-handed or light sword while her other hand is empty. Additionally she may use the Cleave and Great Cleave feat. If she possesses the feat she may use it without incurring a penalty to AC. At 6th level and 12th level the bonuses granted by this stance increases by 1.
- Crissaegrim's Wind Stand (Ex): While maintaining this stance, the the order swordmaster is able to strike so fast her attacks are a blur. While maintaining this stance she gain an extra attack at her highest attack bonus, this bonus attack does not stack with haste. Additionally all attacks made by the order swordmaster against the same opponent, total the damage from all hits before applying that opponent’s damage reduction. This swordmaster's stance consume twice as many round as normal and the order swordmaster must be at least 8th level or higher to select this swordmaster's stance.
- Cut and Thrust Stance (Ex): While maintaining this stance, the order swordmaster can deal either piercing or slashing damage while using a weapon from the light blade or heavy blade weapon group. At 8th level she gains the benefits of the Lunge feat, but may only use it while dealing piercing damage with her weapon. This benefits stacks with the Lunge feat.
- Mordstreich Stance (Ex): The swordmaster holds her sword with the blade, and strikes with the pommel or crossguard. While maintaining this stance, the order swordmaster is able to deal bludgeoning damage with weapons from the light blade and heavy blade weapon group. Additionally the order swordmaster ignores 5 points of damage reduction, except for DR/Epic and DR/—, when doing bludgeoning damage with a sword while maintaining this stance. At 12th level she ignores 10 points of damage reduction instead.
- Nimble Steel Stance (Ex): The swordmaster's blade is able to cut through endless opponents, waving between flesh and bones with ease. While maintaining this stance, the order swordmaster gain Combat Reflexes as a bonus feat, she may use her Charisma modifier instead of her Dexterity modifier to calculate the number of extra attacks of opportunity she gains from the feat. If she already has Combat Reflexes she gains two extra attacks of opportunity per round at 4th level and each 4 levels thereafter.
- Rising Blade Stance (Ex): The swordmaster is able to move at great speed and easily slice through her opponents without stopping. While maintaining this stance, she gains a +10 bonus to her land speed and the benefits of the Spring Attack feat. At 8th level she gains the benefits of the Vital Strike feat, except that she can use it while using the Spring Attack feat. She may any feats which has Vital Strike as a prerequisite while using the Spring Attack feat as long as she maintain this stance.
The order swordmaster counts as having any feats granted by any of her stance for the purpose of meeting prerequisites, although she must be in the stance that grants them to use any feat that she selected using them as prerequisites, unless she selected these feats normally.
This ability replaces expert trainer.
Weapon Training (Ex): At 5th level, an order swordmaster gains weapon training, just like a fighter. She must select light blades or heavy blades as her weapon group, and never gains another weapon group. Her bonuses with the selected group otherwise progress as though her fighter level were equal to her cavalier level.
This ability replaces banner and greater banner.
Challenging Stance (Ex): At 11th level, when the order swordmaster uses her challenge class feature, she may also assume one of her Swordmaster's Stance with the same swift action.
This ability replaces Mighty Charge.
Weapon Mastery (Ex): At 20th level the order swordmaster gains the Weapon Mastery of the fighter, except that she must select a weapon belonging to either the light blade or heavy blade weapon group.
This ability replaces Supreme Charge.
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Character Options → Alternate Class Features
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